The Saxon Hus Summary and Analysis

Heresy involves a rejection of the established dogma of the Church and the doctrine of indulgences has not been given an official definition from the pope. On November 9, 1518, the bull "Cum Postquam" is written with three main points. First, indulgences apply only to penalty and not to guilt. Second, it is not the eternal pains of hell, but only the temporal penalties of earth and purgatory that might be diminished through indulgences. Lastly, the pope has complete jurisdiction to impose penalties on earth.

The pope goes so far as to call Luther a son of iniquity. Luther prepares to debate with John Eck, a professor from the University of Ingolstadt. Luther is so bold as to assert that every pope, even though personally exemplary, is Antichrist because Antichrist is collective: a institution, the papacy, a system. The...